A Plum's Life
by Yui Lathens
Summary: Taiwan's family is growing and she seems to be more happier than ever. When everything she's believed in starts to crumble apart, who does she turn to in her desperation? TaiwanxJapan
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Yo Soo!" I called out to the Korean boy in white and purple robes. His short brown haired head turned around as he found the source of the voice.

A bright smile formed around his face as his cheeks went red—his flyaway curl on the right side of his head was so round, you could imagine a smiley face in there. "Tai!" the happy Korean boy waved, smiling with an egg bread in one hand. "'Morning, da-ze."

"'Morning, Yo Soo," I said, knocking into his free arm—clutching to his shoulder along with a lot of fabric. "Have you seen Li? I didn't see him early this morning and I'm a bit worried."

"Hmm?" he munched on his egg bread and gulped, "I just passed by him in the hall a few moments ago. He seemed to be in a hurry—I think oppa came back. That must be the reason why he was in such a hurry."

"Really?" my heart raced at the thought of my older brother. "Gege's back already?" excitement rushed my veins—it's been a while since I've seen my older brother.

"I was heading towards where I assumed he would be when Li brushed by me in a hurry," he shook me off and grabbed my hand instead. "Come on, we'll go together." I followed him without a moment's hesitation. His cool hand reassured mine on this warm spring morning—Yong Soo could be a good little brother at times.

We walked down a long hallway before turning around and stepping over a mini, wooden doorstep—our brother has taught us that it was bad luck to step on these wooden steps because they were the portal of luck that allows us to go from place to place in peace…or something like that. I wasn't really listening to big brother China when he told us the legend. Nonetheless, I loved my brother and his stories. I just have a bad memory.

When we entered a grand room which was the living room close to the backyard, there were three boys in the room: one unknown boy sitting in the lap of my older brother, Wang Yao (also known as China), and my little brother, Wang Li (also known as Hong Kong) on the floor playing with a panda nearly the same size as him. The unknown boy with short black hair that seemed to have been chopped very even frequently to keep it's unique appearance. I would say he was a new country.

"Gege," I said, in respect as I walked up in front of Yong Soo—I didn't want to let go of his hand, so I used my skirt to hide our linked hands. "Welcome back. I see you have brought a gift for Li," my eyes traveled to the blushing boy as he played around with the panda's claw, "and that you have also brought back a new friend. May I ask what his name is?"

He looked up from the book he was showing to the child and smiled at me and Yong Soo. "Yup, aru. I'm back. I've brought back a new friend as well as a new family member. This is Nihon, aru—his name is Honda Kiku. He's your older brother."

Yong Soo couldn't stand that statement. "How is that possible? You just found him! I am clearly older than that newborn country!" I didn't say anything—the boy was quiet at the objection. I was confused—was it just me, or did he seem to be mature?

"Nihon," Yao said, turning his gaze to the boy in his lap who equally returned it by looking upward. "That boy in the purple and white robes is your younger brother, Im Yong Soo. The girl in the pink and gold next to him is the second youngest, Wang Mei. Li is the youngest out of the three." He returned his attention to Yong Soo and I. "He may seem younger than you three, but he's been living in the bamboo forest for a long time. He is going to be growing quick now with this family and peace. Please treat your new brother kind and respectfully."

I took a step back and squeezed Yong Soo's hand tighter—the Korean boy seemed to glower less as he stopped his hateful glare. "Yes, oppa," he said turning away to his left.

"Okay, Gege, if you say so," I answered in respect after. I wanted to talk to someone—the awkwardness found in the air displeased me. I tugged on Yong Soo's sleeve and led him to the front of the book they were reading. The boy as big as me in Yao's lap—his dark brown, blank eyes wandered up the page to look at me and Yong Soo (who took my left side again). Li got up and ran around Yong Soo and hugged my legs—my right hand held his right shoulder protectively close to me. "Greetings, Nihon," I said as I turned my gaze to the floor as well as inclining my head down a bit. "Have you eaten?"

He stared at me with blank eyes before answering, "No."

"What would you like to eat?" I pestered on, straightening my back—my manners of greeting people taking control of me.

"Umm… pork steam bun," he said a bit timidly as his cheeks grew a bit pink.

_Where would I get that…?_ I wondered as I let go of Yong Soo's hand. It had been a great comfort. "Hmm, I'm sorry to say that I do not know what that is, but I do know how to make a ham and corn bun. Would you like to try it? Now that I look at the clock, it is nearing lunch time and I still have not eaten breakfast. I shall make it for us all if you are all hungry." I hoisted up young Li in my arms—he was growing big and soon I would no longer be able to do this.

"Okay, aru, that would be appreciated," Yao said, closing the book and settling it down on a table beside him. "One for each of us—actually, I don't think Li could finish his own."

"Hmm, that's alright," I said, rocking the small child gently in my arms. "I guess I'll finish his when he's too full." Li extended a hand out for the panda to the right of the chair which Yao sat in. The black and white panda stared at it's new owner with a confused expression as if to ask "should I go or stay?" I walked towards the panda and bent down; Li's extended hand brushed the panda's head and ruffled the top. The panda blinked and I got up—I needed to cook for five people in thirty minutes before they go starving mad.

The panda blinked and held a sad expression in it's eyes—it doesn't want to be away from it's owner. I bent down and picked up the panda with my right arm, hanging opposite of Li (I swear, my arms will break). "Well then, I'll head off to the kitchen now." I turned away from the three eldest boys of the family and head back from the hallway Yong Soo and I had just traveled. "Is it uncomfortable for you?" I asked as I speed walked to the kitchen making the ride for the two in my arms bumpy.

Li shook his head while staring up at me—my eyes placed on the road ahead so that I wouldn't bump into anything. I smiled softly as I said, "That's good. Did you come up with a name for Mr. Panda here?" I didn't want to bore Li—the sole reason why I brought him with me was because I thought he would want to watch me cook; I would always find him sneaking around the kitchen door whenever I was in the kitchen.

"…Xiao Chun," he said holding the paw of the panda. The panda yawned and Li started playing by calling out to the panda with the new name to get it used to the name. I walked silently towards the kitchen, listening to my brother's excited voice call out to his new friend.

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Thanks for reading. I blanked out on the title but the rest was alright ... maybe ... Please review and tell me anime/manga that you would like me to write fanfics for. By the way, I'm not sure if I should continue this or not. Please review if you want more.

_~Yui Lathens~_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Wow, aru!" exclaimed my older brother as he walked in hand in hand with Yong Soo on his left and Nihon-kun on his right. "The bread smells delicious." I stood up from my seat at the large kitchen table which always had room for at least ten people. But because of our closeness as a family, we usually sit in the middle across from each other. I had been watching over Li as he and Xi Chu (new nickname made) as their chairs linked together so that the two could enjoy each others company and get used to each other.

"Watch over Li, okay?" I asked as I pushed in my chair.

"Okay, aru!" replied the older brother as he pulled the chair where I had been sitting. He connected it to Li's chair and placed Nihon-kun there. He connected the next chair and placed Yong Soo there—although he did not mouth his complaints, the expression on his face was not very flavorful. And lastly, Gege took the seat behind the panda.

I took out a tray with steaming, fluffy bread and placed it on top of the wooden counter. When I finished putting on the ham and egg, I placed the bread on cold plates, hoping they'd cool enough so that they wouldn't burn the mouths of the others. I made it back to the table where they all huddled on one side close together. I placed the dishes in front of them and then walked around the kitchen table to sit across from them—that side was too crowded as it was.

We ate in silence: Gege feeding Li from here and there because Li was easily distracted by Xi Chu. I didn't think about what to feed the panda, but Gege didn't seem to find that a problem: he fed Xi Chu pieces of the bread itself while feeding Li pieces with the pieces dressed with ham and eggs. Nihon-kun grabbed a tissue and wiped the scattered egg on the side of Li's mouth. I smiled and took a large bite—I could get used to this family. Nihon-kun seemed to be more mature than I thought, as well. At least there won't be another Yong Soo in the family.

When we finished eating, and I finished washing the dishes, Gege exclaimed, "Time to take a nap, aru!" As Li, Yong Soo, and Nihon-kun got up to follow Gege, I pushed in their chairs and followed the party. I scooped up Li as Yong Soo grabbed the panda. We stood close to each other so the two in our hands could have fun with each other still—Li's grown very attached to Xi Chu. Yao held Nihon in his hands, still introducing the Japanese child around the house.

They moved into a napping room and Yong Soo instantly sprawled onto the floor without a mat and blanket. I was worried that he had forgotten about Xi Chu who was still in his arms, but he protectively held the panda securely. I knelt down and Li hopped out of my arms. Yong Soo sat up and let go of the panda as Li stumbled towards him.

Li rolled to Yong Soo's left and Yong Soo turned around facing Li with Xi Chu in the between the two. I nested to the farthest right and found Nihon-kun besides me while Gege landed quietly in between Nihon-kun and Yong Soo. He smiled and closed his eyes, facing the ceiling, "Nap time, everyone, aru~!" This signaled everyone to close their eyes and go to sleep. The lights stayed on because Li couldn't sleep without the lights on—all thanks to Yong Soo, I might add, but who else would you have expected?

Even though Gege's always the first to close his eyes, a few years ago, I found out that he never truly fell asleep. When he was sure that everyone was asleep, then he agreed to turn off the lights. Closing my eyes with my face inclined towards the ceiling, I slept in my long, pink qipao.

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Hello, thank you for the support. I decided to continue A Plum's Life because I'm having some difficulties posting chapters for A Trip to Soul Eater. Therefore, I hope you can enjoy this instead. I shall work my best and upload as much as I can.

_~Yui Lathens~_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dreaming felt like I was awake while I was sleeping—time moved fast, but I still felt everything. There were faint shifts and then it seemed like the atmosphere I was in darkened. _Gege closed the lights…_ I thought still not sure if I was asleep or awake. There were more movements as time sped up and then my small atmosphere darkened from hazy gray to pitch black. There were birds chirping outside, I heard, and a faint breath above my head.

With half opened eyes, I found myself staring at a navy blue kimono—the smell of green tea and cherry blossoms. They soothed me and I felt myself huddle closer to the source of the scent. My hand had been grasping a handful piece of cloth from the source. Before my mind could think of who or what I was holding onto, it seemed my mind was too tired from the light sleep it had encountered.

With the moonlight shining on my eyelids, my face wanted to turn away and my head buried itself into the solid figure of whatever was in front of me; the cloth the figure wore smelled fresh and clean. I did not understand how much time passed by, but soon Gege awoke. His voice was not what had aroused me from my tired slumber, though. It was the moving figure in front of me. "T-Taiwan-san…" I heard a mumble from in front of me.

One hand let go of the cloth as it traveled up my face to rub my eyes. I didn't want to wake up, but this voice seemed strange and unknown, and carefully nonthreatening. "Mmhmm," I mumbled, opening my eyes more widely as I saw the navy blue kimono in front of me. Over the solid figure was Gege's face and I suddenly remembered earlier events—especially the sleeping order. Instantly, I let go of the clothing and pushed myself away from the figure. The little boy from earlier was now a grown man taller than me.

"O-Oh, good evening, Nihon-kun, Gege," I said, sitting on my legs. "I'm sorry for my disorderly behavior. Please excuse me." I lowered my forehead to the ground and let it rest on the back of my hands—this was how Yong Soo had taught me to apologize in his country and it was by instinct that I did so.

Nihon sat up on his legs as well and Yao sat up crossing his legs. Nihon, flustered by what had happened, said nothing and Yao cleared his throat. "Don't worry, aru! You don't have to be all formal to Nihon, he's not going to turn into an angry man for growing up so fast, aru. This is his true age, if older."

I straightened up and his stoic eyes bore into mine. I bent my head down quickly and then greeted him once again, "It is nice to meet you as you are now, Nihon-kun. I'm sorry for my rude actions."

He, in return, also bowed and said, "N-No, not at all. I am sorry for my small appearance of before and changing into this appearance so quickly. Please accept my apologies as well for my unexpected appearance changes."

"Y-You guys are too formal, aru," Gege complained while watching us. I believe we looked like a traditional drama. I pouted at him and gave him a look that said: "You-were-the-one-that-raised-me-so-don't-complain-about-my-manners-which-you-have-taught-me". Yeah, a long hard stare into his eyes and he retreated apologetically.

Truth be told, I was amazed by how mannerly Nihon was being. And, sadly, I took his manners as a challenge, "Shall I make dinner for us all? I'm sure you must be hungry after sleeping. Do you have a request this time, Nihon-kun?"

"Uh, no, not at all. I am sorry to inform you that I have not thought about dinner. Anything will do, thank you," he said, turning away awkwardly.

My eyebrows rose as I stood up—I am also sorry to say that I took this as my victory. "Yes, I suppose it will. Please wake the others up while I start dinner." I headed out the door and slid the door closed. Down the hall, when I knew that they would no longer hear me, I leaned against the wall and felt my face go warm with embarrassment. I remembered what I thought earlier in my sleep when I was attracted by the scent. I held my face with my hands and didn't dare look up for a while.

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Thank you if you are still keeping along with the update on A Plum's Life. I'm sorry if I'm not updating it fast enough and if it's boring. The reason is because I lost interest in this story. But that will not stop me from continuing the story; I'm still going to continue because I think there are people who want more chapters of this. Please review so that I know you want me to keep updating and I hope you'll anticipate the upcoming chapters.

_~Yui Lathens~_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Is dinner ready, aru?" Yao asked, entering the room with Xi Chu in his arms. Yong Soo followed in, still sleepy eyed while being led inside by Yao because he had grabbed the hem of Yao's mandarin jacket. Nihon followed right after with Li in his arms. The Japanese man's face was rose colored as the Cantonese child in his arms grabbed the baggy sleeves of the older boy.

As I put the last dish on the dining table, I bowed at the entering men and said, "Yes, the food is ready, da gege. Please take a seat." Courtesy always won me over whenever someone was entering the room I was in.

"Nihon, why don't you take the seat next to Mei, aru?" Yao suggested, pointing at the side where I had already taken my seat at. Nihon nodded obediently and placed Li onto the open chair that Yao had pulled out. Then, he took a seat beside me. Yao placed the panda on the other side of Li and sat on the vacant side. "Wake up, Yong Soo, aruyo," he commanded, flicking the Korean boy's forehead.

"Gaoh!" the Korean booy exclaimed in pain.

"It's time to eat, aru," the Chinese elder demanded as he looked at the Korean boy who was rubbing his forehead with his sleeve-covered hands.

"Al-ass-eo," the Korean boy pouted as he took a seat beside the elder Chinese man. When he looked across the table, he saw Nihon and instantly kicked back his chair. "Who are you?" he asked, gripping a fork in his sleeve-covered hand.

Yao took the metal fork away from the Korean boy's grasp and placed it back on the table. "These are dangerous, aru! Don't wave it around recklessly, aru!" Korean opened his mouth to complain about the stranger across the table when Yao said, "That's Nihon, aru. This is his real age. He just grew overnight, aru. Anyways, take a seat and eat—Mei made dinner for us, aruyo."

Pouting, the Korean boy took a seat. His eyes beamed with delight as he found the spicy noodles on the table in front of him. "Kimchi! Uri nara mansae!" he shouted in delight as he held up the spicy hot noodles in the air with his sleeve-covered hands.

Smiling, I handed him his chopsticks. "Pull up your sleeves before you eat. Otherwise you'll taint the white sleeves of your hanbok. He didn't listen to me but just kept the bowl of kimchi in his hands as he sniffed it. I left my seat and walked over to him and grabbed the bowl out of his hands. "No kimchi for you until you roll up your sleeves!"

"Mei~" he whined, sitting himself down in the seat. Even though I was younger than him, he always acted younger when it came to game and food. He rolled up his sleeves obediently and I placed it back on the table in front of him. "Yay, da-ze! Thank you, Mei!"

"No problem," I said, returning to my seat opposite of him.

I hadn't noticed Nihon's awareness of my actions until he said, "You have the aspects of a mother, Taiwan-san." I winced at the country stated and the pleasure left my face, "You'll become a good wife."

"…Thank you, Nihon-kun," I said with my manners as I picked up my pair of chopsticks. My face was a light shade of pink, and it would have been darker if he hadn't mentioned my country name. Being with my family reminds me that I have peace here while being a country gives me the feeling of superiority over others which I do not like. I also am given responsibility over a large population even though I can't take care of myself much.

"Mei, aru," Yao said when he found me absentmindedly staring at the food. "Why are you not eating, aruka?"

I blinked rapidly and smiled, "Oh, I'm sorry." We ate in silence and forgot all about my unusual behavior. I continuously felt conscious because of the Japanese man beside me. Wait… how old was he…? He surely was older than me and Yong Soo. But by how much? I never knew eating could make you so conscious.

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Thank you for reading A Plum's Life! It seems that there are a few people enjoy this story and want it to be continued so I promise you I will and I'll try to upload it as fast as I can. I hope you enjoy and maybe you don't mind leaving a review. Thank you!

Today is also Hong Kong and Canada's birthday! I'm making a chapter for every story except for A Trip to Soul Eater (because Sorae can't come online as frequently), so I hope those constant readers who read all my stories will be happy that I am writing new chapters. Thank you again!

_~Yui Lathens~_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Should we bring the carriage?" I questioned Yao as I pointed down a hallway.

"Hmm," he pondered, "What do you think, Li?" He inclined his head downward towards the young child in his arms. Li stared back with bright light brown eyes and didn't say anything, although the small fist holding onto the baggy sleeves of Yao tightened a bit. "I'll take that as a yes, aru!" smiled the elder brother as he bent his head down, his lips brushing the child's forehead gently.

Smiling, I turned away, "I'll get it, Gege." I walked down the long hallway and reached another hallway full with nothing but doors. Most of these doors led to closets and the likes. "Umm, I think it was this one," I mumbled as I reached towards the second door on the left side of the hallway. "Yup, there it is!" I rejoiced when I found the wheel carriage lodged in between a couple of objects. With light steps, I walked into the closet and grabbed it quickly, hoping nothing would fall from the disturbed balance. I held my breath as I tiptoed slowly out and then gently closed the door, hearing nothing fall.

"Phew," I exhaled and leaned against the door. The smile returned to my face and I rolled the thin carriage down the long hallway. After last night's dinner, we started talking with Nihon and most of the tension the family had with the new member diminished. Yong Soo's behavior stayed the same, still not believing that the Japanese man was not older, but besides that, the two had a fine relationship. Li grew a bit attached with Nihon when he found out that he had a new brother. And I was perfectly fine with him as long as he didn't surprise too often.

This morning, after breakfast, Yao suggested we go to the park for a walk around the park. Something we haven't done in a while because he had always been at war or at least away. I rolled the carriage to the living room and left it beside the door. "Da Gege, should we have a picnic?" I asked as I tried to pull the breaks down on the wheels.

"Well, first we need to take a nap so that they would lose a bit of their appetite, right, aru?" Yao responded, pulling out the mats from last evening's nap. _A-Another nap already…?_ I wondered, as I walked over to help him. Sometimes I just can't help but think all Yao thinks of is taking a nap. Although that is quite reasonable because of his work as a Nation and then his work as an older brother.

"Where are the other boys?" I questioned, looking up from smoothing the beds.

"They're playing in the kitchen, aruyo," he answered quickly, smoothing out the bed sheets with his sleeve-covered hands.

Sighing, I abandoned the bed I had been working on and walked over to Yao. "Da Gege," I said with authority, "Why have you not rolled up your sleeves? I let it go yesterday because you had just came back, but I expect you to roll up your sleeves when you work and eat." I sat on my legs and grabbed his right hand, rolling the sleeves up his arm. When I had done that for both his arms, they were high over his elbows and his arm could be seen. "There," I said with perfection as I got up on my feet.

Yao looked like he was miserable but he knew that I'd lecture him if he rolled them back down. It seemed that rolling up his sleeves and showing his arms and hands bothered him enough to work past the 100% effort he had been putting into smoothing the beds. Now they were being smoothed twice as fast. It had not been my intention to make him work so hard, but it was fine anyhow. "Good work," I praised him when all the beds had been finished. "I'll roll them back down for you," my voice held a hint of laughter as he walked over to me.

"Arigatou, aruyo," he said and I couldn't help but hear a hint of tiredness in his voice.

When they were rolled down, I gripped his the bottom of his baggy sleeve and said, "Da Gege, go to sleep. I'll call the others to bed too so take a rest first."

He seemed troubled by my suggestion, "But, wouldn't it be better if I called for them instead, aru?"

"Don't worry, Nihon and I can bring them ourselves," I insisted. "Please, gege, take a rest."

"O-Okay," he agreed, and I let go of him. A relieved smile spread on my face and I watched him tuck himself in the center bed before leaving to get the others.

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Thank you for reading and catching up with A Plum's Life! I'm sorry for the slow update, but Chapter 6 is coming right up because I split Chapter 5 into two chapters since it was getting long. If you read the after note in RomaHeta, I'm sorry that I lied ;-; Please forgive me and my small writer's block!

I tried to fix my problem from the suggestion given by the anonymous commenter. Once I felt conscious of that aspect in my writing, it was hard not to put it in, but I hope the chapters won't bother you as much anymore.

I hope you enjoy and please review.

_~Yui Lathens~_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Nihon, Yo Soo, Li, time for a nap!" I called outside the kitchen doors. Entering, I found that Li was in a fort of chairs with Xiao Chun and Yong Soo. I almost screamed at the sight, total terror captivating my heart. My hands covered my eyes and I threw myself back onto the wall, leaning with a tremor that shook my heart.

"Oh, no," I heard a worried voice, "She saw. Nihon, help me get these two out, da-ze."

I slid onto the ground and hugged my knees close. "Sorry, Mei, da-ze…" apologized the worried voice from before. I looked up and saw Yong Soo, his auburn eyes bore into my teary eyes and he pulled my head into his chest. I let go of my legs and grabbed the back of his violet blue jeogori. "I'm really, really sorry!"

I felt a small tug beside me and I withdrew from Yong Soo to find the two other Asian boys beside me. Li tugged on my pink sleeve while Nihon was sitting on his legs with an apologetic gaze as the panda besides him leaned against the wall. "Li…" I muttered, holding out my arms for him. He jumped into my arms and I held him close. The four of us sat quietly beside each other before I gave out a shaky laugh, "He he. It's time for another nap… Gege went to bed ahead of us so don't be so loud."

Yong Soo nodded—he seemed to be on the verge of tears as he did not dare look in anyone's eyes. Li climbed out of my arms and walked over to him—tiny fists on his older brother's knees, Li's big and round auburn eyes looked up into Yong Soo's. "Gou Gou?" the young child called with worry.

Yong Soo sniffled and he grabbed hold of Li's shoulders, "I'm sorry, Li."

The child smiled and said, "It was fun." He turned to me and ran into my lap, "Don't blame Gou Gou, Ga Je. He didn't mean any harm."

I patted Li's head and hugged him. "I know, Li." I turned to Yong Soo and smiled, "I don't blame you, Yo Soo. Come on, let's go to sleep or else we'll be too tired later!"

"Y-Yeah," he sniffled. The two of us got up—Li in my arms and Yong Soo wiping his eyes with his sleeve-covered hands.

I turned my head to the quiet boy still on the ground, "Are you coming along?"

"Ah, yes," he said, realizing that he had just been staring. "I-I'm sorry… your family is very close…" he said, picking up Xiao Chun from the ground and carrying the panda in his arms. "But I must apologize for I will not be sleeping along with everybody. Ah, not because I don't want to," he added, his face turning pink as he got flustered, "B-But it's because I don't think I'd be able to go to sleep again after I just woke up. I-I'm a twenty-four dutiful boy so it'd be hard for me to fall asleep right after I just woke up and…."

Laughing, I extended a hand and grabbed his kimono's sleeve, "We got it, Nihon. Don't worry about a thing! I just hope you don't get bored while we take a nap… It'd be great if you could wake us up too so that we'd go to the park before the sun sets…"

"Y-Yes," he said, holding Xiao Chun in his arms. "Of course! I hope that I will be of use to you…!"

Smiling, I let go of his shoulder and slid my hand into his empty hand, "We're family, not servant and master. You don't need to be to formal, Nihon."

The now happy and excited Korean boy threw an arm over Nihon's shoulders and said, "Let's go to bed! I'm tired!" We walked to the living room and outside the door, I let go of Nihon's hand and put that finger to my lip; the other three followed along as we tip toed into the room.

Yong Soo ambushed Yao despite my efforts in letting the elder man rest, but it was fun this way too. Li jumped out of my arms and landed directly on Yao's stomach, the panda climbing down Nihon like a koala. I gave in to the fun and pushed Nihon down besides Yong Soo and I landed on my legs on the other side of Yao. Everybody started laughing, especially Yao who didn't mind the joke after all. When we calmed down, we went to the previous resting spots from before.

Everybody fell asleep faster than I did, but I was not alone at the very least. Nihon was awake as he sat up on his legs, reading a story that he grabbed from the walls. I slept on his lap which he didn't mind and finally fell asleep when I smelled the familiar green tea and cherry blossoms.

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Thank you for reading A Plum's Life! I hope you enjoyed this chapter :'D I hope this will make up for my not updating in a while. I don't know why, but I've been having a small writer's block every time I try to write chapters for the stories T T. I'm definitely stuck on RomaHeta, so if you have suggestions on who's pov to write next, please review or pm me. I'm also blanking out a bit on For the Sake of My Family ... Including You, but there will be chapters coming out. Please anticipate for the next chapter and review!

_~Yui Lathens~_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Good afternoon, aruyo!" shouted an energized voice coming from the elder man as he talked to the trees along the sidewalk.

Yong Soo walked leisurely behind him, his attention not on just one thing but on everything. There were times when Yong Soo could be calm, you know. Nihon-kun and I rolled separate strollers—one for Li and another for Xiao Chun who would be tiresome to carry all around the park, I must admit. The spring breeze was just perfect for our outside attire. I did have a back up blanket just in case Li was cold, though. It was peaceful as the sun shone at midpoint in the sky, grazing them with a light warmth.

"It's a beautiful afternoon, isn't it?" Nihon-kun asked, incredibly close to me because Li wanted to play with Xiao Chun.

Quick enough, I no longer felt too self-conscious around him. He was another brother that brought warmth to me. "It sure is… I hope I made enough food for the picnic," I added, feeling the sturdy weight of a picnic basket looped on my left arm.

"I enjoy your food, Mei-san," he agreed, speaking very mannerly. I gave up on him and accepted his nature—to be forever formal even to family members. I gave him a small look that said, "'Mei-san'? So formal." He smiled an "I don't know" smile and returned his attention ahead where Yao had stopped walking. He had stopped moving: his arms froze in midair, his head fixed on the road ahead. Turning my head a bit to the left, I saw Yong Soo staring with narrowed eyes at the road in front as if he didn't trust what was ahead.

I found out why soon. "Opium, ahen…" Yao said, bewildered as his arms slowly fell down to his sides. "What are you doing in this part of Asia, aruka?"

Yong Soo took slow and quiet steps backwards until he was beside me. In a low hushed voice, he said, "I don't like him, da-ze. I don't like him at all."

Now in view, I watched England take a step forward towards our little group. I felt scared by his aura, my mind going crazy on me as it sought answers to England's movements. What was he going to do? "Good afternoon, China…and the others." His emerald green eyes traveled over China's shoulders and I felt our eyes locked. Maybe this was the beginning of my forever hatred for him. He turned his attention back to China and smiled a fake, plastered smile, "How is everything?"

Yong Soo narrowed his eyes as he stepped up, "Answer Hyung's question, da-ze."

Yao took a step back and turned his head to the left just enough to see Yong Soo. "D-Don't, Yong, aru…" he muttered quietly and hastily. Even though China was a bigger country, as it was right now, it was best not to start a fight with England. "U-Uh, very fine, ahen. How do you fair, yourself, aruka?" China took a small step back and he was now aligned beside Yong Soo.

"Fine myself," smiled the Englishman as he answered the question. I felt a shiver travel down my spine when his eyes landed on Li who was in Nihon-kun's stroller beside me. They stayed there until his eyes traveled slowly to his right and landed upon Xiao Chun. "You have another panda, again?" he smiled nonchalantly. I mentally pleaded Yao to hurry up and end his conversation with England.

"Y-Yes, ahen… I got it for Li, aru…." Yao said hesitantly. There was no mention of the new unfamiliar boy beside me. And England didn't ask.

He chuckled and started to walk towards us, making everybody stiffen. My hands felt sore from the continuity of pressure grip I enforced upon the handles of Xiao Chun's stroller. He walked through the gap between Yong Soo and Yao, walking up to me and stopping when he was only a step forward and to my left. He smiled at me and patted my shoulder. I felt as if there was a paralyzed clock inside of me that started to finally move. "You are Taiwan, yes?" he asked, smiling.

I nodded slowly, not daring to move my head and link our eyes again. I just stared straight forward at the earthly road in front. "I see…" he said lightly, taking his hand off my shoulder. The ticking wouldn't stop. "I wish the best for you and your family," he murmured before walking once more and finally disappearing from view.

"What was that about, da-ze?" pouted Yong Soo after he and Yao made sure that England had left.

"What was he doing here, I still wonder, aruyo…" Yao said, wondering why on earth England would need to come to Asia.

"Are you alright, Mei-san?" asked Nihon-kun when he saw me still quietly staring at the road ahead.

I shook my head slowly and then blinked a few times. I let go of the handles and held my forehead. "Yeah… I'm alright," I lied, feeling the beating of my heart synchronize with the small ticking from before. "Let us continue, shall we?" Placing my hands back on the handles, I smiled and held up my basket, "We still have a picnic planned, don't we?"

The encounter with England was quickly forgotten at the mention of food. But now that I think back, I think that our encounter was a huge warning: how he had suddenly turned up in Asia, how he had observed us… everything. It was around this time that my life started to topple downhill.

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Here's another chapter for A Plum's Life! I'm sorry it's so late ;A; I am very busy on the weekdays and can only write and publish the stories on weekends. I'm very sorry to make you wait so long v_v I hope you enjoy this chapter. I tried to make it interesting. Um, this is based on my own knowledge and imagination so it's not accurate! I hope you enjoy and anticipate the next chapters to come. Please review—don't need a lot—just one will do to tell me that you guys want me to continue. Thank you for reading my stories!

_~Yui Lathens~_


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Sorry, Li," I said hastily, placing a dish full of rice and vegetables. "I have to go visit the new emperor… Are you sure you'll be fine by yourself?" I bit my lip as I looked worriedly around the kitchen, looking if I missed anything to bring along with me.

"Yes, I'm fine," he said, smiling while extending a hand to grab the wooden chopsticks. "I can protect the house perfectly fine on my own…"

I frowned as I affirmed nothing was left over in the kitchen. "Alright then. If you have anything important—_anything—_then just call me. It's alright if you call me in the middle of the meeting, too. I'll come running back home!"

"You know you can't do that," Li said, shaking his head. "You can't be rude in front of the new emperor… to run out of a meeting instantly just to save a pitiful micronation…."

"Li!" I instantly shouted.

"I know, I know, I'm not a 'pitiful micronation'," he said tiredly—we've had this conversation for a while—and continued, "But I am yet to be recognized as I am right now, aren't I? Like how I don't attend world meetings… Ah, don't worry about a thing back home. I'll be fine. Just don't run out on the emperor, alright?"

I sighed, "Alright… but you _must_ answer my calls no matter what." I grabbed the bag slouching in the seat and pushed in the chair.

"Of course," he nodded, beginning to pick at the food. "Don't worry about a thing back home. Good luck impressing the new emperor."

I smiled wryly and said, "I can only try." Turning away, I took one last glance at Li before heading towards the door. I was on schedule—several minutes early, I might add. Walking to the Capital Beijing from wasn't really that far in truth. My stomach squirmed a bit—I never really liked introductions. Soon enough, I found myself standing in front of the emperor's palace. After confronting the guards—identifying myself and all that—I entered the palace gates and onto the vast courtyard, confronting a second round of guards.

When I was finally able to set foot in the actual palace, I was immediately noticed by a guard whom guided me to the meeting room—not that I needed it. It wasn't the first time I've been here, after all. I understood that the emperor was to be guarded and protected, but to question my National status angered me. He may be Yao's superior and master, but if he was just a regular human being, I would tell him a thing or two about defending himself.

Inside the meeting room, the guard bowed down his head and walked out. I did the same, except I walked further in and took my regular place beside Yao. Still head bowed, there were a few moments of silence before one of the high advisers standing beside the emperor's grand, empty, chair unrolled a script and began to read, "Introducing the new emperor, our new ruler, Qing Emperor Kangxi!" The large doors that I had entered from earlier opened fully to the max, making a loud noise that symbolized the emperor's presence.

It was the same drill every time the emperor came in. Everybody immediately straightened and bowed into a ninety degree angle, lifting our arms up with our hands overlapping one another. This was the stance for greeting superiors. Counting to three seconds, in unison, everybody greeted the emperor, "Welcome, Emperor Kangxi! We are in your favor!" There was no response as the emperor began to take steps, walking calmly towards his new found throne. He did not hesitate to stop in front of people and observe them. My back and arms were killing me by the time he had stopped in front of Yao who was to my left, not moving a muscle and definitely not daring to look up.

We were in the front because we were direct Nations under his command. There were others with us too: Lien Chun (first last), her nation as Vietnam, standing to my right; Kasem Chao (first last) from Thailand; Honda Kiku (last first) representing Japan; Im Yong Soo (last first middle) as South Korea; and Im Hyung Soo (last first middle) as North Korea. We all stood on the emperor's right side when he would sit on his throne—this symbolized us as his power.

"…You are the main one, right?" the emperor spoke, his voice clear and authoritative. I froze when he said "one". Were we that _low_ to him to call us Nations "low"? _The nerve…! _But it wasn't like I could oppose the emperor. I understood my position very well. Sucking on my bottom lip, I listened to the conversation.

"Yes, Emperor Kangxi, aru," Yao replied swiftly and simply. It was wise of him not to do a full introduction, for the emperor had not asked for it. Sometimes, it was better to stick to direct answers.

"…" There was a small pause before the emperor continued to assume his seat in his royal throne. Once he had taken his seat in his throne, with a horizontal swipe of his right hand, the new emperor bellowed, "I am your new emperor, Emperor Kangxi!"

"Yes, your majesty," everybody replied a second later. Again, we counted in our minds on when to respond in unison.

The emperor relaxed in his chair, leaning back, before saying, "Very well. You all are seated." With quiet movements, everyone assumed their proper seat on the cushion. The mini wooden table in front of us would usual hold papers and handouts received by the emperor or food whenever it was a celebration. And today, it was a celebration.

The second advisor opened his mouth and shouted, "Bring in the food!" Tons of maids filed in three single filed lines—both end lines held the most while the middle line only held one woman who walked directly to the emperor. The women on the sides stopped once they were in front of everyone of us. The middle maid placed the emperor's dish down—the clacking of the metallic tray symbolized the other women to follow. In synchronized movements, there was one loud clacking as the metallic trays hit the clean surface of the wooden tables that were in front of every single one of us.

"Bring in the dancers!" the second advisor bellowed once the maids had scurried out of the room. The entrance exploded with a ruckus as acrobatics flipped inside. Three female acrobatics flipped inside first, followed by a group of ribbon dancers, and then a beautifully long, red dragon puppet slid inside. Although this was an amazing event to watch, it was still missing something. Finally, the second advisor bellowed, "Bring in the music!" As the room roared with musicians entering the room with beautifully arranged music, the emperor began to laugh. It was, after all beautifully prepared. Although, I did think that the music should have arrived before the food.

"Now, everyone, dine!" the emperor bellowed, delight shone in his dark auburn eyes.

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...Uh... I did not expect to write this kind of chapter... But I hope you enjoyed reading it. Sorry for the wait again. If you are a reader who reads RomaHeta, Our Wars, then it'd be very appreciated if you could help me think of who's pov to write next. I'm very confused and unsettled about the series as of right now on that series so any help would be appreciated. Thank you for reading this chapter and I hope you don't mind the time lag D: Thank you all for enjoying my story!

_~Yui Lathens~_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Hyung, da-ze!" Yong Soo walked towards us as he knelt down in front of me. I bit my lip and looked up at the emperor… WHO WAS WATCHING US.

"South Korea," Yao said immediately beside me. "What are you doing here, aru? Why are you not in your respectful seat, aruka?" Yao's eyes did not mean to be cruel, he said this in worry—worry that the emperor making Yong Soo forfeit his job as a Nation.

"No, no," chuckled the emperor. "This is a celebration! It is nice to talk to companions while enjoying the performances."

"Yes… as Your Honor says, aru," Yao said hesitantly.

Yong Soo bowed and said, "Thank you, Pyeha (Your Majesty in Korean)." He took a seat in front of me and smiled even though he saw fright in my eyes. But then again maybe the look in my eyes caused him to smile at me. "Good afternoon, da-ze," he said to both me and Yao. He turned to me and asked, "How's Li?"

"Li's fine," I said quickly, unable to keep my eyes from looking up. If I looked into Yong Soo's face, I would at least be able to see the emperor in the corner of my eyes. "How are you, Lien?" I asked, turning my head to the opposite direction of the emperor.

The Vietnamese girl turned around, her cheeks rose red as she met my amber brown eyes with her honey auburn. "Good afternoon, Mei. I'm fine." Lien turned back to her food and stared longingly for a piece. I couldn't disagree that my mouth was watering by the glorious appearance of the food in front of me as well. "Hey, can we eat?" she muttered, her hands hidden in the fold of her lap. Beneath the wrinkles of her green ao dai, I heard a small and low rumble. Her face turned into a darker shade of pink as she realized I heard her.

Quickly turning my head over to Yao, I muttered silently, "Can we start eating? Lien's hungry…."

Yao blinked rapidly, inclining his head towards the emperor. "I would say yes because the emperor has already begun to eat," he replied, looking up at the emperor who was laughing and speaking rapid Chinese alongside his two advisers, "But just in case, I shall begin to eat first."

Nodding, I receded back into my usual position and leaned slightly towards Lien. "Wait a moment, okay? Gege's going to see if we can eat yet." At the corner of my right eye, I saw her nod a bit. I blinked before remembering something: Yao was also Lien's brother in a way. He did raise her in her early days of youth until Mr. Francis took control of her Nation and then she had all these conflicts until she became independent finally.

As Yao began to eat, I adjusted my seat quietly so that the emperor would be in my view as well. The emperor observed Yao dig into his meal, elegantly holding the beautifully coated wooden chopsticks. After a few moments of silence between both parties, the emperor cleared his throat and spread his hands around him. "My companions, why have you not begun to eat?" Everybody tensed when he began to clap his hands, but soon found out that it would do no harm. "Maids, please fill their cups."

The maids who had placed our trays onto the wooden tables earlier came back and held out designed pottery full of sake. "Excuse me," I cleared my throat just before the maid dripped the drink into my cup. "I am underage and cannot drink sake." The maid flushed in embarrassment and retreated, bowing lowly as she traveled away to get me…whatever she thought would be fine for an underage nation. Most likely, and hopefully, tea.

The woman who had served Yong Soo brought his wooden table over and placed it between Yao and I, almost pushing me away to make space in between. I quietly moved over and Yong Soo sat in the middle of us—the maid then pouring sake into his cup. "Excuse me," I found myself repeating, "This teenager is underage as well." The woman rose and grabbed the cup which was half full, dashing out of the room.

"Aww! You ruin the fun, Mei! I wanted to taste sake," he said, sticking out his tongue as if imagining the taste right now.

I turned to my food and said, "Well, I'm sorry, Yo Soo. But I don't think you should drink sake while you're underage." He pouted and began to wobble from side to side.

"Mei's right, aruyo," Yao butted in, shaking his head in disappointment by Yong Soo's childish actions. "You should not drink sake while you are so young, aru."

"Hyung drinks it, da-ze," Yong Soo said, tilting towards Yao. "How does it taste, da-ze?" Staring at the filled cup with lustful eyes, Yao closed his eyes as if he were disturbed by the sight of the drink and pushed it away.

"It's not a drink for me, aru," Yao said, reopening his eyes. "I'll ask them to pour tea for me later."

Yong Soo began to chatter on about how lucky Yao was to be so old, and in the process, angering Yao. The emperor chattered along with his advisers as well, throwing few glances about the room occasionally. I turned my attention away and joined in the conversation Lien conversed with Kasem. Soon, I found my eyes wandering up and watching the two most respective countries—Nihon and and Hyung Soo quietly eating beside each other. Hyung Soo had always seemed lonely in my eyes and Nihon… Nihon has always been like that. Yong Soo never really showed any love for his elder brother—they were on the brink of war, apparently. But siblings always had to help each other stand, right?

I rose from my seat, interrupting Kasem. "Sorry," I apologized, smoothing out my front wrinkles, "We'll talk next time, okay?" I made my way over to Nihon and Hyung Soo, crouching quietly in front of the gap between them. "Hello," I greeted, hugging my knees close as I tried not to let my skirt touch the floor.

"Good morning, Mei," Nihon greeted, placing his chopsticks neatly across the rim of the bowl.

"Good morning, Taiwan," Hyung Soo repeated, placing his chopsticks on the neatly folded white napkin beside his bowl.

"Hyung Soo, you can just call me Mei as well," I said, growing accustomed to the hated Nation name. "Are you coming over later on today?" I questioned, addressing Nihon this time.

He smiled ruefully and said, "I am sorry to say that I have work to finish later on today followed along by a meeting with my boss." He winced a bit at the mention and looked down at his bowl.

_Huh?_ I wondered. Nihon never turned away. Not to me anyway. The room seemed to turn hot, and I became aware of small moisture forming underneath my bangs. It wasn't just me, right? "Nihon, are you okay?" I worried, letting go of my legs and rolling them out so that I know sat on them.

Hyung Soo had also caught on; his eyebrows narrowed as he turned his attention to Nihon. "Yes, it is unlike you to turn away during a conversation," he agreed, speaking rather formerly.

"No…it's nothing." He lifted up his head and smiled, "I am fine, thank you, though. Please excuse me as I continue to eat." He stretched out his right hand, retrieving his chopsticks and pulling back his sleeve with his left hand. But I had noticed it. He rolled up his right sleeve carefully, not fully up his arm, and I could see white bandages wrapped closely to his elbow.

"Ni—" I began when I noticed, but was cut off by Yong Soo.

"Mei, what are you doing here? Come back and finish eating—your meal is getting cold." His eyes flickered with doubt as they blinked rapidly at his brother before grabbing me by the arm. "Let's go." I opened my mouth to argue, but his strength on my forearm pained me and I sucked on my bottom lip as he half dragged me away. "Don't ever go near my brother, okay?" he muttered, helping me walk properly now.

I narrowed my eyes and didn't respond—I simply couldn't. It was the emperor's turn to speak now.

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;A; I'm a horrible person for making you readers wait a week. I hope you like this chapter, though. Thank you for reading my stories and for waiting patiently v_v I'm sorry if this story is getting a bit boring. I shall try my best

_~Yui Lathens~_


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"How do you all think about this celebration?" he asked, his voice loud over the music which started to lower. "It is unfortunate to say that we must end soon, for everybody is busy, correct?"

We all bowed and said, "Yes, your majesty."

He smiled and said, "Thank you for showing up to my celebration. I have been told that these 'Nations' on my right side will become superior than anyone else in the room. Now, if you all may, please introduce yourself."

A moments silence quickly ended when we all replied in unison, "Yes, your majesty."

Yao was the first to straighten since he was the first in line. Taking a step forward to distinguish himself in line, he began, "My name is Wang Yao and my respected Nation is _China_." There were incredibly silent murmurs. It wasn't really a secret that the Nation China was coming to the celebration, but it was surprising to meet him in person. Or so that's what I think from the sudden murmurs.

The emperor glanced around the room, silencing the room before turning to Yao and nodding. "Very good, Wang. It is nice to meet you."

Yao bowed and backed away in silence. I felt something clog my throat and gulped down my saliva so that I wouldn't spit while I talked. Straightening, I took a step forward and turned to the emperor. "My name is Wang Mei, and my respected Nation is Taiwan." I bowed low before the emperor and waited for his reply.

To my dismay, I heard a soft cluck of his tongue against his teeth and he said, "So you are the representative of Taiwan. Taiwan is a ball of mud beyond the pale of civilization." He shook his head in disgust and continued with his disapproval, "Return to your place in line. I suspect you and Wang are related, therefore you need not come back. I shall give all your work to him. Thank you for attending." My heart pounded and my brain echoed his words over and over again in my mind. I was a ball of mud beyond the pale of civilization? What in the world would make him say that…?

Slowly, my feet took three steps back and I was back in my original position, still not looking up. What kind of rumors did he hear about Taiwan…? And just what rumors will be created now? Everybody continued their introductions, but it just sounded like mud being stomped on: unintelligible and unmindful.

All I wanted was for the meeting to end. Now.

* * *

Oh goodness, I am so sorry for the delay. OTL I've been working on my summer homework, so I wasn't really focusing on the story. I hope you all still like the story. I shall try uploading more. I'm very sorry for the delay. (Sorry this is kind of short too... I blame it on the order of the line I put them all in, otherwise there would be more introductions... but I wasn't really thinking about that earlier in the story.)

_~Yui Lathens~_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Are you alright, Mei?" Lien asked with worry as she took my hands in hers in the courtyard of the palace.

Not wanting to discourage Lien, I displayed a playful smirk. "I'm fine, silly Lien. I'm not going to allow the emperor to bully me." Sticking out my tongue, I said, "I just want to barge back in there and make him take back what he said about Taiwan. It's not all that bad." Putting my hands on my hips, I closed my eyes for a while and sighed, "But I don't want to get on the emperor's bad side, so I just have to obey him, right?"

I opened my eyes and watched her bite her lip in worry. I started to laugh encouragingly, "Don't worry about anything! I'm perfectly fine. In time, maybe the emperor will change his mind." I tightened my grip in her hands before letting go. "Thank you, Lien. I have to get home quick, though. I'm worried about Li."

Her mouth formed an o before smiling shyly, "Tell Hong I said hi, okay?"

I raised an eyebrow and nudged her shoulder. "Ho ho~" I teased, thankful of the change of subject. "OK, no problem!" I winked and held up a hand to say goodbye. We were the only Nations allowed to leave because, unfortunately, the emperor dissed us both as girls. The male Nations stayed to decide on 'important' matters within China and about the laws—yeah, all of that stuff. Lien has to come back, though, because of the uneasy conflicts within her country while Taiwan is at peace. For now.

"See you sometime!" I bid farewell at the door of the gates and she nodded silently before walking the opposite way. I sped walked home, dialing the home phone along the way. It rung as I held the cell phone beside my left ear. Waiting. Just waiting for Li to pick up. After several rings, it went to voice mail. I immediately pressed the red button on the top right corner and dialed his cell phone this time. Ring. Ring ring. No answer once again and it went straight to voice mail. I began to fell my heart quicken and my mind panic.

"H-He's just sleeping," I muttered to myself. "Gege's sleeping habits have influenced Hong too much…" I winced at the sound of Li's city name on my tongue. Now I was just telling the world I was panicking. "Li…!" I began to sob quietly as I tried to hope for the best. _Nothing happened to him. Nothing happened to him…! …Right? _

At the front of our doors, I placed the key in the key holder and began to scream frantic, "Li! Open the door! I'm home! Please… respond to my voice…" I felt myself crash down against the entrance of the door. When I finally heard a click, I pushed the door open, took out the keys and slammed the door shut behind me without locking it. My immediate thought was to go to the room where we took naps. "Li…? Li, are you there?" I found myself squeak. The room was empty, but a nostalgic blanket was placed in the middle as if it had been used a few hours ago.

I jumped when I stepped on an old wooden board which was part of the ground. This house where Yao has been living for four thousand years is starting to take a toll in time. "Li, answer me this instant, please!" I begged and pleaded when I ran around the house, ignoring all the noise I was making. "Please, don't leave me alone…!"

Doors slammed open and cries of "Li" and "Hong [Kong]" were shot all around the house until I was forced to give up. It was hopeless, after all. I couldn't find Li anywhere in the house. I found his cell phone in the study room and a couple of books scattered among the ground; pages creased, telling me that they had accidentally fallen from their places in the bookshelves. Li had done his job in cleaning the plates he had used, so I know that he was in the house for a while to eat and then clean. But that still didn't ease my anxiety.

I collapsed on my legs in the middle of the nap room, finally admitting that he was no longer in the house. "Li…" I mumbled once more before tears begin to flood my eyes. I was so confused and so anxious by the situation… "Where are you?" I cried, clutching the blanket close to me. This was his blanket that he used as a child when he was young. This blanket was what kept him company when I began to get recognized as a Nation in the world. He had been lonely after all… and now he was nowhere in the house. Far, far away from my awaiting arms.

All I could do now was cry in agony at the lost of my little brother and just hope that he'd come back to me. But… all I could do was hope.

* * *

Phew! I think that this story can finally get on the roll! Thanks for all the support and I hope that you enjoy my stories. OTL Now I'm having trouble with For the Sake of My Family ... Including You. If you have an idea, that'd be great because I kind of drove myself into a dead end with the chapter. Thanks for the support! I shall do my best to continue this story.

_~Yui Lathens~_


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"We're back, da-ze~!" A door slam and footsteps followed after the greeting. "Mei…?" the excited voice started to turn worried, so I called out for him. I didn't want him to search for me like I did for Li. Hanging my head low, I felt another tear seep down from the corner of my eye. He still hadn't come back.

"I-I'm in th-the napping r-room," I said while trembling at the suddenly noise-returning house. I had been so used to the silence that I had forgotten that I had a voice of my own. Not that I could do anything with that voice except praying for Li's return.

"Oh, da-ze," a relieved voice said and then Yong Soo's head popped into the room. "You scared me for a second! Is Li sleeping with you…?" His voice began to falter as he observed me in the corner of the vast room, hugging Li's blanket with red puffy eyes. "Whoa, did you get rejected by him during a confession or something…?" he asked, walking into the room. He crouched beside me as I began to let out a shaky laugh.

"Always an otaku, I see," I joked, folding the blanket in my grasp neatly to place down in front of me.

"Mind you, I'm a Korean Otaku which originated in Korea thanks to me," he said, wiping his nose as if he was a genius. I leaned over to his side and felt my eyes tear up again. I was going to have to explain Li's mysterious disappearance for a while.

Right before I could tell Yong Soo, and before he could ask why I had been and started crying, the door opened with urgency we have never heard from by the elder of the house. "Where's Li?" Yao's voice rang with such ferocity that surprised the two of us. I immediately backed away from Yong Soo and tried to stand up, feeling my numb legs go jelly. "Gou gou…" I found my voice speak Cantonese. So familiar yet so uncommon on my tongue. With incredible speed, Yao found his way into the room where Yong Soo and I stood in.

"Do you two know where Li is?" he said, holding the frame around the doorway entrance to the room. His eyes stared with angst and his forehead glistened in sweat.

"Gou gou," I cried, throwing my hands against the front of his red mandarin jacket and clutching the fabric with all my mate, "Li's missing! He's not home at all! He hasn't come back since the time I got home from the meeting earlier, either." Tears rolled down my face again which made me feel a tiny twinge of annoyance to myself because I found myself so useless just crying.

Strong pairs of arms embraced me and I found myself sniffling in the red mandarin jacket. "…I feared the worst, and it has come." I looked up and stared into the auburn eyes of the worn out elder. He let out a sharp sigh and said, "I know where he is." He didn't look directly in my eyes but he could sense the urgent and questioning look I gave him. "…He's with England right now. Follow me." He immediately rushed the last bit, surprising me with his speed.

I fell back as he exited the room and fell into the arms of Yong Soo. "Thank… you…" I found myself murmur absentmindedly. _England…_ I thought feeling rage rise in my stomach, _How dare you?_

Yong Soo held my hand and helped me walk towards the kitchen where Yao had traveled to. I swayed from side to side and wobbled a bit, but didn't seriously fall or trip. _…Is that why he came that year so long ago? To check on us?_ I questioned in my mind, determined to find out the reason for kidnapping Li. _Why did he take Li? What would he gain from taking my little brother?_

_Panic_, I suddenly remembered that Yao was still in a war with England. The Opium Wars…? _Is England trying to enrage Gege and make his mind panic?_ "We're here," Yong Soo announced for both me and Yao. I snapped out of my daze and looked up.

"Good," Yao acknowledged. "Please take a seat and read this." He slid a note across the table and in between two seats in front of him. I immediately grabbed the note and read while standing, ignoring Yao's sigh. Yong Soo stood beside me, but reading this notice made me ignore everything and everyone around me.

"_To China: Hello, this is England. I have received a notice that your little brother was left alone at home so I decided to pay him a visit. He seemed so lonely at home so I took him to my house. Of course I will be glad to return him, but since I have been taking such good care of him, how about you surrender the Opium Wars? ~England_"

My throat was dry. "Well," Yong Soo hissed behind me, "That was quite blunt."

"W-What are you going to do, Gege?" I murmured, turning to the elder brother. The one who might be the _only_ one who could save Li.

Yao sighed and leaned back in his chair and looked at the wall with a very distant look. "Well, one thing is for sure: I'm bringing Li back sooner or later. He will definitely not stay in England's hands." Yao's eyes suddenly narrowed and he had a pained look on his face, "But I've got another problem." He turned to look into my eyes. "Nihon has betrayed us." A wry smile appeared on his face, "Not exactly a betrayal, but more like a warning."

"W-Wait, what?" I felt my heart drop.

"We all have to listen to our true bosses, Mei. Family or not," Yao said softly. His voice tender and weak. Most likely from the arguing from earlier when Nihon-kun had "warned" him. I know my brother that stating this wasn't the easiest thing to do.

I collapsed onto the ground, gripping tightly onto the sheet of paper. Covering my eyes with my bangs, I leaned back and stared at the ceiling. Our family was slowly diminishing, one by one.

* * *

Okay, I'm repeating myself from earlier, but: I don't actually look up the dates of wars, so I'm just bunching up everything I know together. This is all based on my personal knowledge and I'm a lazy writer (vee~). I have one more week before school, so I will try getting chapters out as best as I can. Thank you for the support!

_~Yui Lathens~_


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Yao had decided to stay for the night, but he had to leave first thing in the morning. "Gou gou…?" I poked my head into the room of my elder. "Are you still awake?" Arousing from sleep at the sound of my voice, Yao adjusted his position so that he was sitting up against the wall behind the bed.

"Hmm… What is it, Mei?" Yao asked, adjusting to the light shining into the room because I had slid open the door.

"C-Can I s-sleep w-with y-you?" I asked, finding my face warm up along with my request. Even though we had all slept together before, I was blushing because I have never asked Yao personally to do such a task since I was a young girl.

Yao blinked rapidly before smiling, "Why of course, you can, Mei. Come here!" He scooted over to the far left and held out a hand which kindly gestured for me to come. I side stepped, presenting my attire: a long, droopy dark scarlet red kimono in which Nihon-kun had given me when I was younger. In my arms, I was hugging a rather large and firm pillow that I usually used at night when I did go to sleep on my own. But I could not tonight. It was too depressing and I feared nightmares.

I took hesitant steps towards the bed, my face growing warmer and warmer until I stopped beside the bed and hesitated for a while. Yao's eyes smiled, "I won't bite. Come on." He withdrew his other hand and held them out to me. I didn't expect how he wanted me to put both my hands in his' while I carried my pillow, but I did place my right hand in his left, followed by my right knee. His left arm wrapped itself around my waist and he tugged me onto the bed.

I fell onto my side and Yao leaned down to wrap me in an embrace. I felt one large hand on my head, patting gently, "Calmed down?"

I nodded silently in the front of his sleeping attire. I felt tears beginning to swell in the corner of my eyes. "I-Is it true that people go to sleep faster i-if they cry…?" I questioned, unable to control the tears that started to spill from the corners of my eyes.

Yao was silent for a while until he said, "Yes." Whether he said that for my comfort or because he truly believed it was unknown to me for I began to sob quietly against his chest. Well enough, I drowned in darkness, questioning myself if I was still crying.

* * *

A soft _tlee-tlee_ awoke me early in the morning. Rubbing my eyes and sitting up, I wondered how I could hear the soft tweets of a baby plain prinia inside this walled up room. _Oh yeah_, I remembered, blinking rapidly as the heat in my cheeks began to rise, _I'm in Yao's room which is close to the open banister room. Talking of Yao… _I turned my head to my left and stared at an empty portion of the large bed, _He's not here…._

I quickly threw over the covers and swung open doors until I reached the front door. I didn't bother with my loud steps of bare feet stomping on old floorboards. At the front, I saw that his shoes were still in their tidy place against the shoe shelves. Quickly getting up again, I ran towards the kitchen this time and found him taking a sip of smoking hot tea. "G-Gou gou," I panted, holding the frames of the doors tightly as if I couldn't use my feet.

"'Morning, Mei," Yao greeted, placing the cup of tea down. "Would you like a cup?" I knew that uniform he was wearing: green mandarin outfit with a wearing, dull red armband on his left arm.

"DON'T GO!" I shouted instantly, not wanting him to get hurt. Why couldn't everything go back to normal? Why did everything have to go bad? What did I do wrong to create this problem in our family? I made sure I was blocking the doorway so that he would never leave. But that was only a thought in my mind. In reality, Yao had more strength than I could ever muster. "Don't leave…" I pleaded, fearing that he would never return like how Li and Nihon might not return.

Yao walked over and hugged me, wrapping his arms around my neck, his cheek resting on my right shoulder. "I promise I'll come back."

"P-Promise…?" I questioned him as if it was the first time I've heard of one.

"Yes. I promise that I will return home and restore our family's members," Yao promised further in detail.

"… Will they really come back?" I whispered, gripping onto the sides of his mandarin jacket.

"Yes. They will." He let go of me but I did not. He kissed my forehead and said, "I promise." All those promises seemed to be stuck with me like the lingering feelings the kiss he placed on my forehead had. "Please be safe with Yong Soo." Scratching the back of his head, Yao laughed, "Now that I mention him, he won't get to see me leave."

"Don't bet on that, da-ze," the Korean boy said, in the hall. The both of us took a step back and Yong Soo made his entrance in the door frame. "Didn't think you'd forget about me that easily, da-ze." Letting out a sigh, Yong Soo extended a fist, "You better keep your promises. Don't you dare back out!"

After a moments surprise, Yao laughed the same laugh from earlier, "Of course not." Meeting the awaiting fist with his own, Yao gazed with determination in Yong Soo's. "A promise is a promise."

"B-Be safe…." I said, extracting myself from him and bowing properly.

He placed a hand on head and combed gently, "Don't worry." He smiled gently and I felt the color in my cheeks rise. It was painful to watch him go, but knowing that he was going for a certain reason seemed to lessen the pain. _It's a promise… right, Gege?_ I breathed calmly, closing my eyes before opening them with refreshed confidence.

* * *

Thanks for reading and enjoying my story! I can finally feel it's progress growing. I hope you all like it! It's almost time for another school year. For those who are starting school this week, I encourage you to do your best! (Sorry if I'm being a nosy author...) Thank you again!

_~Yui Lathens~_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Geez, for him to leave me out!" Yong Soo mumbled sadly behind me when the door clicked close. No trace of Gege's presence was left in this house besides his scent.

I placed my head on Yong Soo's—with a bit of effort because of his height—and stared at the door which was now still. "He didn't want to see you…because you know as much as I do…that he'd cry." Yong Soo started to sniffle immensely and I laughed quietly, "Don't make me cry, now." Tears stung the corners of my eyes.

"He'll come back," Yong Soo encouraged, grasping my hand in his. We were quiet for a while; the grips given and received from each other encouraged us to stop our crying and look toward the future ahead of us. "_Growl~_" a low, deep growl interrupted the peaceful silence and it made me laugh. "He he… sorry, da-ze," Yong Soo apologized embarrassed.

When I stopped laughing, I felt that the grip given and received no longer forced encouragement but was gentle and caring. My expression softened as my tense shoulders loosened. "Come," I said gently, tugging slightly in his grip, "I'll make you some breakfast."

"Uri nara mansae~" Yong Soo cheered as he easily glided behind me, dragged by the grip from my hand in his. I couldn't help but think that the warmth of his hand will no longer come to my aid.

"What would you like to eat?" I asked, rolling up my sleeves.

"Kimchi~! Da-ze~" he said with pride.

"I meant for breakfast, silly," I specified, pulling on my apron now.

"Yeah~ Kimchi! I uh…have a meeting and need strength, you know?" he said, feeling uncomfortable while turning his gaze away from me. Why didn't he tell me before?

"Oh… let me guess, with the emperor, right?" I questioned.

"Yeah… I'm going to have to explain about Li if Hyung's not there," he said, wincing from the sudden mention. He had been close to Li, after all.

"Hmm…okay. Kimchi for breakfast, then!" I agreed. I mean, I should encourage him to courageously talk to the emperor, right?

"Yay, da-ze! Uri nara mansae~!" he cheered, happy that he won the argument. "Thank you, Mei!"

I smiled, "Yes, yes. Now let me make it." He left, cheering in the hallways, I felt my will betray my decision of sending Yong Soo away—I feared that he truly would not come back even though all he did was going into his room to prepare for the meeting later on. I smacked both my cheeks and closed my eyes, _He's coming back. He's coming back! I'm overworking myself._ I blinked and returned to working on the kimchi.

* * *

"It's ready, Yo Soo," I called out as I turned on the steam machine which began to hum loudly. I took a pair of chopsticks and began to scoop up the kimchi. I heard a steady yet fast thumping against the wooden boards and tried to scoop up the kimchi into the bowl faster. Yong Soo always wants the food to be ready by the time he takes his seat.

Yong Soo took a step into the kitchen and shouted, "YAY, DA-ZE! KIMCHI FOR BREAKFAST!" I was used to his loud voice as long as I knew his presence was near so thank god I didn't immediately jump and drop the bowl.

"Yes, yes. I'm almost done~," I said gently, picking up the ladle to add the sauce on top of the kimchi. A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist and I felt a weight on my left shoulder.

"Thank you, Mei," he said with care and in a voice that I wasn't too familiar with but did know.

"No problem, Yo Soo. Here," I twirled around and placed the bowl in his hands along with the pair of used chopsticks, "Eat well and have strength." He stared hungrily at the bowl and I smiled up at him. His eyes flickered upwards, looking at me for a moment. A rather long moment. "What's wrong, Yong Soo?" I asked, feeling nervous. I placed a hand gently on his arm, getting a small grip on his hanbok's sleeve.

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. Before I had any time to act flustered, all too suddenly, I felt a rain drop land quietly on my cheek. Slowly, it slid down until it reached my jaw line and dropped onto the ground. A couple more came after and I soon found out that they were a mix of Yong Soo's tears and mine. "I'm scared," I confessed, shaking in his embrace. "I don't know what's going to happen—I don't want anything else to happen! I want everything to return back to normal," I breathed haggardly as I confessed all my worries to my older brother.

"I know," he whispered, his voice quivering from the melancholic state we were both in, "I know."

I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want anything else to disappear. I just wanted everything back to normal. Was that so bad?

* * *

Sorry for the delay! I was getting used to my new school and all... Well, here's my plan: I can only work on the story during lunch period (if I finished all my homework -3-) and when I have free time from my volunteering job... therefore I'm going to try to get at least one chapter out every week! I'm sorry if I made you all wait too much again. I hope you all like this chapter ^^

_~Yui Lathens~_


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Ugh! I don't wanna go!" Yong Soo whined as he stood near the door entrance.

"Now, now," I complied, holding out a lunch box which held leftover kimchi from earlier, "Don't be like that! You know you have to go, or else…" I didn't want to think about it.

"Yeah," he dragged out as he mixed the word with a sigh, "But I don't like the emperor~! He yelled at you and Lien last time. He's a bully!"

I put a hand to my mouth as I held in a laugh. Yong Soo was pretty good at being a child. "Yes, yes! But! If you're late, he'll get mad at you and then bully you too! Don't displease the emperor, all right?" I reached up and placed a hand into his hair, petting him gently. "I'm worried about you," I confided quietly.

He bent down a bet, easing my stretched arm. "I know," he said quietly. "Thank you, Mei." He wrapped his arms around me and I hugged him again. All we've been doing was hugging—for comfort. And crying our eyes out when we found out our family was crumbling. We separated and he kissed my forehead gently like how he did earlier and like how Yao would kiss us all gently when we were young. "See you later, Mei," he whispered, holding my arms firmly but gently.

He turned away and slid open the door. Holding up a hand, he waved at me. I held up a hand and waved back at him. He turned away and walked toward the capital. When he was no longer in view, I slid close the door and walked into the living room where we all used to watch television together. I turned it on and sat in the far back, staring as the screen began to fizz into animated shapes. I turned on the Taiwanese subtitles—all the channels were in Chinese because this was where Yao was born 4000 years ago which was way before all of us were born.

Without noticing, the show started to bore me. Even though I had just awaken, my vision began to dull and I was beginning to fall asleep; drifting silently into the empty abyss of nothing.

* * *

"Mei, you'll catch a cold." The voice of a soft, gentle male broke into my dreamless slumber. A warm cloth wrapped around me and I felt a pair of strong arms encircle me. "Did I awaken you?" the male asked gently.

_I…I know that voice…._ I thought sleepily, trying to blink away the tiredness in my eyes. The male began to move. Whether it was to get away or adjust his sitting position, I didn't know, but I automatically reached out for the male. "N-Nihon, don't leave me," I said in a whisper, trying to keep open my half opened eyes.

"Don't worry, Mei-san," he said in his gentle, formal voice, "I'm staying with you." He placed one hand in mine and brought my head to lean on his shoulder. He kissed me gently on the cheek and said, "You can sleep if you're tired. I'm not going to leave you."

His voice was so soothing that my body took it for granted. I drifted back into my deep slumber, feeling safer than I ever had been.

* * *

This chapter's quite a bit short, but it's a bit interesting, yes? I hope you all like my stories and hope you don't mind the horrible delays in the updates. For those who are in school, Good luck! And for those who aren't, still, Good luck! (Gambarre! ... Am I too nosy?) Thank you for all the support!

_~Yui Lathens~_


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"…Mmnnnghh?" I felt soft rays of moonlight shine upon my face and I blinked my eyes open to see the glorious moon high in the night sky, surrounded by myriads of tiny stars.

"Ah, you're awake, Mei-san?" a gentle male voice snapped my attention back into reality.

I quickly sat up, and turned my head around and saw Nihon. My shoulders relaxed and I began to call his name when I looked past his shoulder. "N-Nihon…," I whispered, feeling all the peace I felt earlier disappear, "W-Where are we…?"

Nihon, still smiling like nothing was wrong, placed a hand on my head and said, "We're at my house, of course."

I blinked rapidly and felt my face go warm, "H-Huh?"

He grabbed my hands and held them with a gentle grasp. A soft smile spread across his lips and he brought the back of my hands towards his lips; brushing them lightly. "I was worried that you'd be left all alone there. How do you feel?"

"I-I-I…" I was taken back by surprise, "I'm okay…. Th-Thank you, Nihon." I was surprised by how soft my voice was. Just yesterday, I had been bawling my eyes out. "U-Uh… I'm sorry for bothering you with my stay… I'll return tomorrow…."

Nihon's eyes smiled and said, "No. You're not." His eyes opened and I thought I could see a crimson red flash in his eyes. "You're staying _here_. With me." He seemed to lean in on me and I felt myself cowering away.

"N-No… I couldn't impose on your hospitality. I-I'll go home tomorrow before Yong Soo worries about me. He he…" I felt myself panic.

"Just stay…" his eyes held mine and without any wavering, he said shamelessly, "…For a while." I didn't trust him one bit.

Before I decided to answer, my will of compromising broke and I stood up quickly, beginning to run for it. Well, I tried. "Kya!" I squealed, finding myself tumbling to the wooden floors. It wasn't because I tripped over my skirt—I was too experienced wearing my qi pao to do that—but because something was tied around my ankle. Nihon stood up and walked over to me, kneeling down in front of me. He reached out and held strands of my hair in his hands. My lip quivered. I won't lie: I was scared of him.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-You t-t-t-tied m-me?" I asked, bewildered.

He looked down and brushed away the hem of my qi pao, revealing my usual white socks laced with gold-colored thread—and a knot that I wouldn't have noticed unless I saw it earlier or tried to escape. "I knew you'd run away. Forgive me, please?" His gaze flickered upwards and I no longer found the sudden coldness. The look in his eyes told me he was troubled and the way he frowned was enough to tell me it wasn't his idea to bring me here. But his looks didn't stop me from thinking that he had kidnapped me.

"N-No! Th-This is inhumane! I-I demand you to return me at once!" I shouted, balling my fists together and holding them up as if to defend me.

He smiled sadly and stroked the strands of hairs in his fingers. "Even if we demand things, that doesn't mean we'll be guaranteed the demand." He looked up at me and said quietly, "I'm sorry, Mei. But you have to stay." He got up, dropping my hair strands, and gazed at me, "I have given you guards, Mei. So don't worry about getting involved with the war right now."

My eyes blinked quickly, "W-War…? Wh-What war?" I asked, quietly.

Nihon's eyes widened and then he turned away. "You don't have to worry about it yet. I'll visit you, but no guarantees on when." He slid open the door and turned around to smile at me sadly once more, "Bye bye, Mei."

I felt my heart drop as the door slid in place, forgetting that I could have used this moment to untie myself free and run into his back garden. _What war…?_

* * *

"Oh no! Mei's been captured!" Well, finally!-in my opinion. I've been dragging this story out for too long and am finally glad that I've gotten towards the middle of this series. Hope you like this chapter. (Hahaha; I abandoned my homework to write this chapter~)

_~Yui Lathens~_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

I didn't know what I expected. Maybe some company… I don't know. I was kind of in a daze for the rest of the night. Nihon had left—I think he went back to his room. I had been left in the exact place, but not alone. No. We were never alone. Not even when Nihon was with me—there had always been a guard in the darkest corner of the room. And only now had I realized his existence when he coughed. "Where…" I began, startling the man, "Where is my room…?"

"Uh, yes, ma'am, right away," he stuttered, opening the sliding door. He waited for me to take a step out before following and closing the door behind us. "Please, continue to walk to the right." I did as told but felt that I had the superior position. Probably because Nihon told them to treat me as a proper guest or something similar to that…. I stared around and found it unchanged from the last time I visited which was quite a while ago when we were still at peace. Though, I have never resided in this area.

"In here, please," he said, indicating twin doors decorated with pink plums. _Ha. Very funny. _I thought bitterly.

I turned around and bowed, "Thank you for your guidance." Standing up properly before he can fuss about my manners, I quickly said, "You are dismissed." He stood there in shock, stuttering continuously, and I left him there. I wasn't in the mood to talk right now. I tried to slam the paper door close, but the anticipated slamming did not ring. I turned around and found the rope still attached to my ankle blocking the doorway. In the small crevice, I could see the man still there. I lowered my gaze and bent down to tug in the rope, however I might get rid of it.

Closing the door properly now, I walked into the room and sat on the low futon. Brushing away the hem of my qi pao, I examined the knot. _Very complicated_, I thought as I began to find the easiest part to begin untangling the knot. As I began to loosen the knot, my mind began wandering elsewhere. Questions like "_Who tied this knot?_" and "_Who brought me here?_" and "_HOW did they bring me here?_" kept coming to mind, yet there were no answers to accompany them.

Finally loose, I held out my foot and let the rope slither off. _Now that I think about it, Nihon wasn't really the type of person to have qi paos in his house…. _My beat ferociously as a horrible thought came to mind. No… they **are not** putting a kimono on me. I absolutely, definitely, refuse to wear such tight garments! I stared gloomily down at my hands and sighed. _But then again, I can't just travel around in this for my entire stay…._ I silently moped. I didn't think I could last long here but I couldn't escape anyways.

My stomach growled disturbingly and I leaned to one side, crashing down on the soft futon. I might as well sleep this off. I didn't want to call for anyone or see Nihon, so…. Closing my eyes, I focused on sleeping. My breathing kept me conscious. I kept changing my breathing pattern for a while before opening my eyes and staring at the lit wooden wardrobe in front of me. Funny how I had been worried about Li's kidnapping earlier and now I had abandoned everything to caring about myself.

Was I selfish for doing so? _Yes._ My vision blurred as my mind wandered elsewhere and I found myself falling asleep just like that. When had my eyes closed? I don't know. What was I thinking right before I fell asleep? My selfishness? Maybe. Was I concerned about the war?

_Please. Get that out of my mind. _

* * *

;A; I'm so sorry for the wait! amg, i can't believe i made you guys wait so long for this chapter...! i hope you like it even though it's quite short. i haven't been writing in a while (OTL sorry...) so the style might have changed (o.0...?) hence the ending (kinda)... okay, i have absolutely no idea what i just wrote, but! i do feel like my style kind of changed towards the ending. anyways, i hope you like this chapter ;~; i'm sooooo sorryyyyyy!

_~Yui Lathens_~


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Ma'am," a voice of a teenager came from the door. I blinked, trying to focus my vision. _…Wake up calls? Can't I wake at anytime I wish?_ I sat up on the futon with my back straight, though my head did sway a bit. "Are you awake?"

"Yes," my voice croaked. I cleared my throat and said clearer, "I am awake." I stared down at my hands, slightly clenching and unclenching themselves. I heard my soft breathing in the silence that continued. The male still outside cleared his throat and my eyes flickered upwards, towards the door. "…What other information must I be informed of?" I asked, taking the lead. I think he wanted that to happen, though.

"Yes! Breakfast is being prepared downstairs as we speak, and the uh… young master wants you down in 10 minutes!" he answered eagerly, only faltering at the mention of Nihon. Well, I already knew that Nihon and his advisers got along well, but I didn't know that his advisers counted as servants.

"Okay, thank you. Tell Nihon that I will be down shortly," I ordered, throwing off the covers. The warmth that my legs had gained overnight were slowly fading away as the cold of the morning welcomed me. Oh, how I welcomed warmth once more. And how I had felt so safe at night.

"Yes!" he replied immediately, awaiting more orders.

"And do tell," I continued, opening the door to see a male a bit taller (okay, about an inch or so taller) standing in the door entry. "Do tell me your name," I demanded.

He didn't expect my sudden encounter and was immediately taken aback. Stuttering, he shyly looked down at the sudden interest of the wooden boards on the floor, "Ma'am, my name is not important. Please pretend I am a mere servant! You need not know my name," he most absolutely refused.

"A mere servant would not stutter in addressing Nihon, their master. It's obvious that you're an adviser, and I demand to know your name." I glared at him as if trying to send blackmail through my eyes. He rose his eyes, feeling an aura and saw the venomous aura and cowered but still held my eyes.

"I-It is Hisato, ma'am…" he gave in. bowing, he introduced himself, "I am Hisato, an adviser of Kiku. I its an honor for me to meet another country. I hope to be in your guidance."

"No, it is I," I countered, "I am in your territory now. Please guide me well." I paused for a moment before remembering my manners. "Oh, yes, my name is Mei Wang, respectively Taiwan. You can call me as you wish, but not by my country name." Hisato gave me a troubled look and I returned with a steady stare. I knew he was troubled by my demands but soon enough, he gave in.

He bowed once more formally and said, "Yes, Ms. Wang, I will be imposing upon your offer then. Now, please prepare!" I was surprised by how hasty he was, but then I remember we were short on time.

Turning around, I complied. "Yes, yes. I am very sorry for wasting time. Please take care of me from now on." I slid the doors shut and remembered something. Sliding it open once more, I peaked out and smiled sweetly at him. "By the way, you are **not** dismissed. Thank you~" Sliding the door closed, I found renewed energy. If I was going to suffer, I wasn't going to suffer on my own.

* * *

Hey guys... so yeah.. this is quite short... I'm sorry everyone, but all humans face a writer's block... and I wrote all of this on the subway to+from school today /shot . Anyways, hope you enjoy.. =w=

_~Yui Lathens~_

__P.S.: I might include the World War [II] and stuff because I don't search up anything (-lazybum) Hope you don't mind~

P.S.S.: Hisato is my own character~ More mention of him in the future xD...


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"I'm sorry to make you wait," I bowed immediately as I entered the ding room. Hisato followed my movements just as swiftly.

"No, it is fine. Please sit down, Mei-san," Nihon said kindly, turning around to smile at me.

"I shall take your offer," I complied, snapping back up straight and tried to smile back at him, but failed so I hurried to the other side of Nihon's side of the table. I found Hisato following me all the way over. He rushed ahead a bit and pulled out the chair for me. "Thank you," I said, sitting down and pulling the chair closer the the table. Hisato backed away, head down. I took the pair of chopsticks at my right and we ate in silence. I didn't have any problems with it at all, though. I didn't have anything to talk about.

"Mei-san… are you okay?" Nihon asked across the table. Not looking up, I extended my arm to reach for more fish.

"Of course I am. Why do you ask?" I replied, withdrawing.

"It's because… well, usually, whenever you came over, you would declare that you would be the one to cook." Nihon didn't look me in the eye. I knew he was regretting this.

_Well, I didn't really come here at my own will…_ I thought solemnly, but saying aloud, "Well, since the food has already been prepared, I don't think it is necessary for me to waste more ingredients and create a new dish when we already have so much food."

"_I-I guess you're right…," he said, smiling sadly at his rice bowl. We continued to eat in silence until Nihon placed his chopsticks respectfully onto the rectangular napkin to his right. "Thanks for the food," he said, standing up from his seat. My eyes flickered up and we stared at each other until he smiled gently and said, "I'll be going now." _

My eyes quickly lowered and I filled my mouth with food. Without another word, Nihon left the room. I finished my food soon after and stood up. "Thanks for the meal." I left the room with Hisato following me and we traveled in silence. I couldn't help but wonder what to do here. "…Don't you have anything to say, Hisato?" I asked, turning around a corner and walking down an empty hall.

"…" _He was silent but I knew that he had something to say. _

"_Don't worry. I won't hold anything against you," I said, looking from side to side while trying to remember what was where. I had a feeling I'd be here for a while. _

"…_How…" he began quietly. I stopped and turned around, facing him so that he can speak to my face. "How can you be so rude to Kiku like that?" he said with a firm voice, trying not to yell. _

"_How can he just take me away from my home "like that"?" I responded, quietly whispering the ending. I looked into Hisato's eyes and said, "Nihon's my friend too, but our trust is crumbling." _

"_Isn't that because of your own actions?" he asked, raging as if he could hardly believe me. _

"_Yes. It is because my actions. But he was the one that triggered my actions." I firmly held my gaze with him and said, "I do not blame you for your anger, but maybe you should step out of the box and look at the whole picture where my feelings are also taken into account." _

We stood in silence for a moment when I began to laugh at myself, "What am I saying? You barely know me; I doubt that you could understand my behavior." I bowed and said, "I'm sorry for angering you and asking too much. I hope to get along." Turning away, I began to walk again, and after a few seconds I heard footsteps following me.

* * *

So here's the chapter after two weeks... again OTL I can't believe that my will is so weak... i'm sorry! I shall try to get two more chapters out... Thanks for all the support! It really means a lot and keeps me going! I am thankful for you all.

_~Yui Lathens~_


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

There was nothing of interest that kept me excited. Everyday was boring and normal. Hisato was the only person accompanying me besides the occasional meets with Japan almost every morning and sometimes at night. After a while, I started to reply to his "I'll be going now" with a "Be careful" or a "Take care" or something and he would always smile this soft, bashful smile that I've come to like. One day, he stayed home all day and in the morning, we walked around in the garden as if he had not kidnapped me at all and I had come over to visit on my own will.

"The weather's nice, isn't it, Mei-san?" he asked, smiling at me.

I smiled at him and grabbed his hand, "Come! I want to show you something." We traveled into the far back of the garden where it doesn't stand out. I had found out about it when Hisato was giving me a tour of the garden. "Look! Plums!" I said as an array of plum blossom decorated the branches on the trees.

"Yes, they are pretty. Do you want me to teach you how to draw them?" He walked towards a tree and cradled a group of plum blossoms gently in his hand. I felt a smile ease across my face as I watched the scenery. It was pretty: the loose plum blossoms' petals gently eased down from the branches of the trees around Nihon. One petal landed on his head unnoticeable and I reached out to take it off his head.

"Hehe, one landed on you," I chuckled and rubbed it between my hands. "I think I'll accept your offer, if you don't mind. It would be my pleasure to learn how to draw plum blossoms."

He smiled and reached out towards me, placing a hand on my cheek. "You look pretty, Mei-san."

"Thank you, Nihon," I easily accepted his flattery and put my hand on top of his. "You know, I was wondering why you were staying home today, but I'm actually quite happy. Hisato has been the only one talking to me."

"Oh, I'm sorry for the lack of company," he apologized, withdrawing his hand. "I'm happy that Hisato has agreed to talk to you though. He's the only advisor that is left here to take care of the place because the other advisers have jobs that aim more to the world. Hisato and two others, Keisuuke and Ryuma, govern over "Japan". Hisato governs over the capital city, where we are, Edo."

"Oh, that makes sense," I agreed. "Well, I'm not really complaining. Hisato has been great company for me. He's very kind and patient."

Nihon let out a relieved sigh, "That's great. I was afraid that he would be pushing you past a limit. It's hard to calm him down when he's angered, you see."

_Yeah. I know._ I thought, remembering the first morning after I was held captive here. _He didn't talk to me for a week until he began to soften up when I started to show small signs of respect towards Nihon. Although Hisato's way of "anger" isn't the way you would usually expect from people, I was really effected because he had been the only one to talk to me._ "And? The answer to my other question?" I changed the subject, remembering the other question.

"Oh," he said, turning away. He turned his head towards the tree and placed a hand on the trunk. "I won't be coming home in a while. I've made an alliance with Germany-san and Italy-kun. Right now, we're in World War II."

"Wha—? How?" I asked, shocked. How could I have been so oblivious to the world?

"You'll be safe here. Everyone will protect you, so, please, don't do anything reckless," he said, turning to me.

"…Okay," I whispered obediently. I knew my place. I had returned to the position of a hostage to the Japanese.

Nihon put a worried smile on his face and said, "Come. Let's go inside. I promised to teach you how to draw the plum blossoms, didn't I?"

"…Yes, you did." Putting on my most energetic smile, I placed a hand in his and said, "I'm holding you responsible for your promise."

* * *

Here's another chapter everyone~ Can you guess what I'm going to do next chapter? I think it's a bit obvious but... if you don't know, then you'll just have to wait until the next chapter! Seems like I'm close to the end of A Plum's Life. I don't know what other story I'm going to write/continue, though.

I hope you liked the chapter.

_~Yui Lathens~_


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